As expected, the New York Knicks declined Derrick Rose’s $15.6 million team option for 2023-24, meaning that the veteran point guard will be an unrestricted free agent. Rose was removed from Tom Thibodeau’s rotation this past season and is clear to join a contender, but a return to the Knicks shouldn’t be ruled out just yet.
From New York’s perspective, there would be no way to justify paying Rose nearly $16 million next season, no matter how much he’s liked within the organization. He played in only 27 games in 2022-23 for an average of 12.5 minutes, which was largely in part due to Jalen Brunson securing the starting point guard position and Immanuel Quickley having a breakout season off the bench.